With the fate of Calera’s season hanging in the balance Friday night, coach Ken Adams listened to his players.

Down one point after answering an Elba touchdown in overtime, Adams was faced with the dilemma of whether to kick the extra point or go for two and the win.

&uot;The biggest thing is the kids wanted it,&uot; Adams said. &uot;If the kids believe you’ve got to go for it.&uot;

After reading the defense at the line of scrimmage, quarterback Mike Watts checked off

to an option play to the right side. He pitched the ball to T.J. Green as Elba defenders closed in.

&uot;They flowed so hard to the ball that we had the cutback lane all night, we just couldn’t hit it,&uot; Green said. &uot;I saw it and I hit it and we scored.&uot;

Green’s two-point conversion gave Calera a 27-26 win.

The Eagles (11-0) advanced to the second round of the playoffs in Class 2A with the victory over Elba (4-7).

&uot;We’ve been coming up short the last two years and this year we just knew that we had teamwork and we were going to work together,&uot; said David Lacey, who scored Calera’s touchdown in the overtime period.

&uot;If we can do it with that front five than we can win it all,&uot; Lacey said. &uot;As long as we’ve got that front line we knew we could win.&uot;

Lacey finished the night with 117 yards rushing on 13 carries. His longest run was for 73 yards. He also hauled in a 35-yard reception.

Calera got on the board first when Paul Delbridge scored on a 12-yard fumble return early in the first quarter. Delbridge finished with 10 tackles and two fumble recoveries. He also had a rushing touchdown.

Wendell Demoss had 10 takckles and two forced fumbles for the Eagles.

Calera was plagued all night by turnovers, fumbling seven times and losing five.

After jumping out to an 8-point halftime lead, the Eagles didn’t score again until the overtime period.

&uot;In all the years I’ve been in football that was one of the most special memories I’ve ever had,&uot; Adams said.

Calera will host Southern Choctaw this Friday night at Cairns Memorial Stadium